Message is from Bob Schwartz, CABN Chicago Anti-Gay Bashing Network

Remember Slain Jamaican Gay Rights Campaigner, Brian Williamson

Stop Murder Music
Block Beenie Man's US Tour in Chicago

Tell House of Blues that Marauding Hate Merchant is Not Welcome in This Town

Jamaican reggae/regga dancehall singer Beenie Man (real name Anthony Davis) has begun what he hopes will be a profitable tour of some 33 US cities, including Chicago. This is not the feel good music of Bob Marley's "Let's Get Together."

Beenie Man's hit tune Damn has the line: "I'm dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the queers".

His song Han up Deh includes the words: "Hang chi chi gal wid a long piece of rope" (hang queer women with a long piece of rope).

Another Beenie Man track is called "Bad Man, Chi Chi Man."

"Chi chi man" is a derogatory Jamaican patios insult, similar to faggot, poof and queer.

The lyrics of "Bad man, Chi Chi Man" include the exhortation that if you see a gay DJ run off the stage like a clown, kill him:

"Yuh see im to run off a stage like a clown, kill dem DJ!"

The release of "kill gays" songs by Beenie Man and other Jamaican dancehall music artists has been followed by a wave of homophobic violence in Jamaica and Britain (where there is a substantial population of Jamaican descent). Lesbians and gays have been shot and stabbed, macheted and stoned to death, doused with gasoline and set ablaze, and chased into the sea and left to drown. Victims include Brian Williamson, a principle leader of the gay rights movement on the island nation.

Antigay rhetoric by bishops, preachers and politicians in the US has helped create a climate in which increased antigay violence is occurring.

No respectable venue today would showcase an artist who defamed Jews or African-Americans, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people demand the same respect!

_______________________________

Beenie Man is scheduled to perform at Chicago's House of Blues on October 25, 2004. Please help us secure the cancellation of this performance.

Tell House of Blues that hate speech must not be showcased or financially rewarded!

1. Contact House of Blues:

House of Blues® Chicago
329 North Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60610
312-923-2000
cmailto:chicago@hob.com

2. Sign Our Petition at Halsted Mkt Days

CABN booth is located on Halsted St. Between Roscoe and Buckingham Saturday and Sunday, 11 AM to 9 PM

3. Protest Beenie Man on October 25

If House of Blues refuses to cancel hate singer.

/CABN identifying information/


BEENIE MAN TOUR OF USA

Sunday, August 1, 2004, Coney Island, New York, NY
Tuesday, August 3, 2004, Pufferbellies, Hyannis, MA
Wednesday, August 4, 2004, The Strand, Providence, RI
Thursday, August 5, 2004, Norva Theatre, Norfolk, VA
Friday, August 6, 2004, Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
Saturday, August 7, 2004, Northern Lights, Clifton Park, NY
Sunday, August 8, 2004, Crossroads, Bladensburg, MD
Wednesday, October 6, 2004, Crowbar, New York, NY
Thursday, October 7, 2004, Downtown, Farmingdale, NY
Saturday, October 9, 2004, Recher Theatre, Towson, MD
Sunday, October 10, 2004, Norva Theatre, Norfolk, VA
Monday, October 11, 2004, Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
Tuesday, October 12, 2004, Toad's Place, New Haven, CT
Thursday, October 14, 2004, The Boardwalk, Pittsburgh, PA
Friday, October 15, 2004, Water Street, Rochester, NY
Saturday, October 16, 2004, Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
Monday, October 18, 2004, Promo West Pavillion, Columbus, OH
Thursday, October 21, 2004, Royal Oak Theatre, Royal Oak, MI
Friday, October 22, 2004, Bogarts, Cincinnati, OH
Saturday, October 23, 2004, The Rave, Milwaukee, WI
Monday, October 25, 2004, House Of Blues, Chicago, IL
Tuesday, October 26, 2004, The Bluebird, Bloomington, IN
Thursday, October 28, 2004, The Vogue, Indianaplois, IN
Friday, October 29, 2004, Exit/In, Nashville, TN
Saturday, October 30, 2004, Pageant, St, Louis
Sunday, October 31, 2004, Quest Club, Minneapolis, MN
Monday, November 1, 2004, The Premiere, Memphis, TN
Wednesday, November 3, 2004, Hush, Houston, TX
Friday, November 5, 2004, House Of Blues, New Orleans, LA
Saturday, November 6, 2004, Roxy Theatre, Atlanta, GA
Sunday, November 7, 2004, Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL
Monday, November 8, 2004, James L, Knight CTR, Miami

The following press release from Outrage! indicates that the UK gay rights protest group was right on track with its earlier condemnation of an economically motivated "apology" from the Jamaican singer's music label PR engine. Echoing the dismissive language of American religious bigots, Beenie Man's Jamaican manager rejects the "apology" of his music marketers, and assures that the singer will "continue to criticize the homosexual lifestyle of which he does not approve." Beenie Man's hit tune Damn has the line: "I'm dreaming of
a new Jamaica, come to execute all the queers".

His song Han up Deh includes the words: "Hang chi chi gal wid a long piece of rope" (hang queer women with a long piece of rope).

Another Beenie Man track is called "Bad Man, Chi Chi Man."

Chi chi man is a derogatory Jamaican patios insult, similar to faggot, poof and queer.

The lyrics of "Bad man, Chi Chi Man" include the exhortation that if you see a gay DJ run off the stage like a clown, kill him:

"Yuh see im to run off a stage like a clown, kill dem DJ!"

The release of "kill gays" songs by Beenie Man and other Jamaican dancehall music artists has been followed by a wave of homophobic violence in Jamaica and Britain (where there is a substantial population of Jamaican descent). Lesbians and gays have been shot and stabbed, macheted and stoned to death, doused with petrol and set ablaze, and chased into the sea and left to drown. Please contact Chicago's House of Blues to voice any displeasure you might feel at their booking the hate singer for an October 25 performance. SAY "NO" TO THE HOUSE OF BLUES PROVIDING A STAGE AND FINANCIAL REWARD FOR MURDEROUS HATE SPEECH! House of Blues® Chicago 329 N. Dearborn Chicago, IL 60610

t :: 312.923.2000

chicago@hob.com
Posted by Bob Schwartz, CABN
Beenie Man's PR denies apology
London - UK - 4 August 2004

Within 24 hours of Virgin Records issuing a supposed apology from Jamaican reggae singer Beenie Man over his incitements to murder gay people, Clyde McKenzie, head of public relations for Beenie Man's management company Shocking Vibes, told Radio Jamaica that the statement was "not an apology", that it was initiated by Virgin Records not by Beenie Man, and that Beenie Man reserved his right to continue criticising "the homosexual lifestyle", of which he did not approve. Radio Jamaica (RJR, 94FM), Tuesday evening 6.45pm, 3 August 2004 Brett Lock of OutRage!, who was also part of the interview, said: "Despite being asked several times, Clyde McKenzie strenuously denied that the statement was an apology to gay people or for homophobic lyrics. He insisted it was just a general condemnation of violence," said Mr Lock. "The so-called apology seems to be nothing more than a PR stunt dreamt up by Virgin Records to stave off protests against Beenie Man in the lucrative European and North American markets. But in Jamaica Beenie Man's PR machine is pulling out all the
stops to disassociate himself from the Virgin Records statement," said Mr Lock. Further info: Brett Lock +44 (0) 1233 626 028 brett@nabumedia.com